7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Now that I’ve had the 2001 Behemoth that the Floyds "found" in the cooler and put on tap at the brewpub, I can discount my description below (and save my bottle of 2005 to age for a while). The draft pour is a deep cloudy brown, with a thin barleywine head. Big-ass malts prevail in this one, with a bit of taffy apple-caramel sweetness. Alcohol is not heady or overpowering… at first, but sneaks up big time toward the end. There’s a touch brandy, with a swirl of strawberry, prune and cherry. Very thick and chewy. Bottled off kegging line by 3F’s employee. My rating is tempered by the fact that the sample was bottled 4 years ago and not counter-pressure filled. But I expect to have some fresher stuff when the bottles finally come out this summer. This sample was slightly cloudy. Not as hoppy as most 3F’s, just the remains of a fine hop bouquet. This is, yes, slightly oxidized, but also sweet and somewhat fruity, with a hint of raspberry.